Thirty Seconds
by Minx of Lynex
Summary: You with your switching sides, pointing out my flaws, never impressed, cutting me down, leave me alone, all you are is mean. Drarry with Ron!Bashing.


This is for the 'Lyric Week Challenge' by SpuffyPotter1997 :)

Thank you Spuffy for the wonderful challenge :) I enjoyed writing this greatly :)

My numbers were 11, 13, 14, 15, and 23 :)

Warning: Ron!Bashing

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter :P

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Counting backwards from thirty was a failsafe way to calm him when Harry knew that his temper was dangerously close to getting out of hand. In complete honesty the only time that he ever needs to count was when Ron pushed him to the brink of having to make sure that his magic didn't tear the room apart. Even in their first year, the red head had a strange way of causing Harry's temper to come to the surface.

Over the years – Harry had come to remember three times that his counting hadn't been able to help – And, the fourth that was taken completely out of his hands. The first was in his fourth year – the year that the Tri-Wizard Tournament had been hosted at Hogwarts. When the goblet had spouted his name, nobody believed that he didn't put it into the cup somehow. Even Ron had turned on him – bringing Harry to assume that their brotherly relationship was over. As the months passed and it came time for the first task, he did his best to ignore the scathing comments that constantly left Ron's mouth.

Finally one morning in the Transfiguration hallway – he heard the taller boy talking to Seamus Finnegan about how Harry must have given some older student his virginity in payment for them to put his name in the cup. His steps had stopped so suddenly that Draco Malfoy – who had been walking behind him – ran into him, successfully knocking them both to the ground. Anger seared through his veins as he counted backwards as slowly as he could.

"Oh, look he's doing it again." Emerald eyes snapped open to find that he was lying under a kneeling Draco – whose blue eyes had widened in confusion to the words. Harry only made it to eleven before his temper got away with him. Not only had Ron insulted his honor – he had dragged Draco Malfoy into the mix. _Eleven_ - bounced around his mind as his magic exploded outwards. Before the red head could blink his fair skin was covered in painful puss filled boils that grew in all different sizes.

Pain filled moans could be heard all the way down the hall as Seamus helped Ron to the nurses office. Once Harry was on his feet – having calmed down – Draco turned to him with a questioning glance that the Gryfindor absolutely refused to answer. Months passed and their fourth year ended with the usual bang that never seemed to fail. The summer went by and soon enough, their fifth year at Hogwarts had begun.

Just like the year before – Ron had found something else to put Harry at fault for. The older boy would purposely seek him out – only to cut him down with words about how it was Harry's own fault that Cedric had died. Many of the times Ron left satisfied with the tears of remorse that streamed down the brunettes face. While other times he left laughing when Harry only turned red in the face from anger.

Within the month, Harry had been taken to the edge of Hell and back with Ron's mean willed taunting. It was in the middle of lunch on a Sunday that his temper got away with him for the second time. Just like before Ron was stage-whispering to Seamus that Harry had probably shoved Cedric in front of himself. Getting far too upset to stay around all of the students – he quickly got up from his chair and raced out of the out of the great hall.

Outside of the doors, Harry ran smack dab into Draco Malfoy knocking them both to the floor of the entrance hall. Cackling rose in the air as they lifted themselves from the ground rubbing the soreness away. As he looked up Draco was standing between Ron and himself. "Trying to sacrifice Malfoy now are you Harry?" Red flashed in front of Harry's eyes and he started to count backwards. Confusion was scribbled across Draco's face as he opened his mouth to speak. "Though if you're going to do that. Why didn't you just kill him instead of Cedric?"

Shock filled Draco's eyes at the harsh words from the red headed boy, turning with a horrified glance to look at him. _Thirteen_ - was as far as Harry got and Ron's yowl of pain rang through the air as his pants caught on fire. Once the boy was taken to the hospital wing by some merciful Hufflepuffs – Harry stalked away from the scene, leaving Draco behind with no answers for the second time.

Only a week passed before Ron pushed Harry too far again – the brunette was starting to wonder just how many times the taller boy would have to end up in the hospital wing before he realized to stop messing with him. When Professor Snape left the class room as they worked on their potions – Ron began to whisper about how Harry shouldn't even be allowed back at Hogwarts – that the boy was too dangerous to be kept around other people.

As the whispering got louder and more accusatory, Harry's partner – Draco – sent him those questioning glances that never seemed to be answered. Before he could speak Harry did with annoyance, "Why do you care?" The blonde only rose his eyebrows and was about to reply when Harry brushed him off – turning to focus on his potion once more. _Thirty, Twenty-nine, Twenty-eight_ – the numbers continued to decrease as Harry tried to calm the fire that blazed in his eyes.

"Don't worry Dean, he'll just drag you along on one of his adventures. All you have to do is pray that there aren't Death Eaters around. He'll sacrifice you for the better good." _Fourteen_ – Harry's boiling cauldron flew through the air and dumped its unfinished contents over Ron's head. A girlish scream echoed off the stone walls as the older boys skin became an angry red with the third degree burns.

For the first time Draco was able to say something, "What the fuck is going on with you, Potter?" His emerald eyes met the taller boys cerulean ones as he tried to decipher if Draco was actually concerned. "Seriously Potter. This is the third time that you've lost your temper," Harry was shocked at the suddenly hostile glint in the Slytherins eyes, "That is supposed to be my job. Not Ron Bloody Weasel-bee."

Amusement coursed through his veins at the words from his Slytherin counter-part. At that moment Professor Snape barged into the room looking more annoyed than anything else, wondering why screaming was coming from his class room. At the sight of Ron, Harry could have sworn that Snape's lips twitched into a barely there smile of glee. "Weasley! 50 points from Gryfindor for interrupting my class! And Thomas, get him to the infirmary."

The next day when Ron got back to the common room after a long night in the infirmary, he'd gone straight to their dorm and physically ripped Harry from his bed – throwing him against the wall with enough force to give the brunette a concussion. Angry curses flew from the red heads mouth as Harry held the back of his head – where he was sure a bump was forming. "Lousy, No Good, Greedy, Selfish, Prick! Why don't you just go and throw yourself in front of the Killing Curse next time! Save us all the misery of having to know you!"

At the words Harry slowly stood himself up – _Twenty-five, Twenty-four_ – only to be thrown into the nearest trunk. Coughing harshly he glared up at the boy who he had thought of as a brother – at one point in time. "Just get over yourself Ron! Leave me alone!" When Ron reached for him – Harry's resolve snapped. Fifteen echoed against the inside of his head as Ron was magically thrown through the door of the bathroom – slamming into the mirror and sink directly on the other side.

Noting that the larger boy wouldn't be getting up to chase after him – Harry rushed from the room, down the stairs, and out of the common room, into the maze of hallways. His head spun with thoughts that he didn't want to be thinking and the back of his head throbbed painfully. By the time that he realized where he was – he was leaning against the railing of the astronomy tower. Eyes staring down at the shadowed grounds through the darkness as moonbeams shone down from above him – giving everything an ethereal glow.

Footsteps alerted him to the fact that someone had followed him up the tower and he turned to make sure that it wasn't Ron. Standing just inside of the door – Draco Malfoy watched him with curious and questioning eyes. This time Harry didn't bother to hide the fact that he was upset – after all, they were alone. There were several tense moments of silence before he allowed himself to speak, "I don't want to feel useless and unwanted anymore."

Draco's cerulean eyes softened in a way that Harry hadn't even known was possible. Taking a deep breathe the taller boy walked across the wooden floor boards, carefully avoiding the ones that creaked. As he reached Harry, he stood directly in front of him – just watching for the smaller boys' reaction. When Harry made no move to push the blonde away – Draco stepped even closer so that their chests were touching. For long minutes they continued to stay there watching the other.

Then with confidence that was strange in a Slytherin – he leant down and gently connected his lips with Harry's – eyes sliding shut as he wrapped his arms around the shorter boys' waist. Before Harry could even respond by kissing back or lace his arms around Draco's shoulders – the blonde pulled back with a serious look in his eyes. "You will never be useless Harry Potter. And, you are more wanted than you know." With one last peck to Harry's lips – he turned with a hidden smile and left – leaving the brunette to his thoughts.

Slowly, Harry came out of the daze that Draco had managed to put him in as his fingers traced where the Slytherins' lips had just been. Sighing – he pushed himself off of the railing and made his way out of the astronomy tower with a small yet happy smile donning his features. When he finally made it back to his dorm – Ron was missing from his bed as his other roommates snores echoed in the crowded room. He easily slipped into bed and to sleep, letting his exhaustion and thoughts help him drift to sleep.

By the time Ron was out of the hospital, three weeks had gone by. Three blissful weeks of peace for Harry – without having to hear his old friend shoot of his mouth repetitively. It was a Wednesday morning when the blubber mouth arrived at the end of the Gryfindor Quidditch practice and the beginning of the Slytherin practice. His already prepared words spewed out of his mouth with so much venom that Harry barely stopped himself from stepping back.

"Do you seriously think that retaliating will help you in anyway Potter?" Everyone around them stopped what they were doing as Ron starting cutting down the brunette. "You will always be a worthless, filthy, whoring, bloody, freak of a…" As the forthcoming harmful words dug into him painfully, Harry started to count backwards – hoping against hope that Ron would just stop.

_Twenty-six, Twenty-five, Twenty-four, Twenty-three_ – a loud thump resounded through the air and the harsh words were suddenly cut off, causing Harry to glance up with wide eyes. Standing over Ron's graceless boneless pile – Draco held his broom with a smirk, having obviously just clubbed the red head over the head with it. There were a couple of dull claps and encouraging murmurs as everyone went about their business once again.

Once the Gryfindor team was in the showers and the Slytherins in the air – Draco turned to Harry who still stood where he had before. This time it was the brunette with the questioning look – wanting the answers. With a smirk Draco stepped in front of him like three weeks ago on the tower, leaning in and connecting their lips firmly. Harry's arms wrapped up around the taller boys shoulders, grinning into the kiss. When they pulled apart Harry smiled happily, "You stood up for me."

The blondes smirk turned into a soft smile as he pulled Harry closer by the waist, "I will always stand up for the one I want and care about." A brief peck was placed on the brunettes pale lips and Draco pulled away mounting his broom. "Meet me in the entrance hall Saturday morning at nine." It only took a moment before Harry realized that this was Draco's way of asking him to Hogsmeade. Smiling softly at the blonde, Harry nodded and Draco flew to meet his team.

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I hope that everyone liked it :) Please Review :)


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